Old News Archive

Milo - After the Fire Project

December 11, 2008 - TRC

The University of Maine and Milo are entering a collaborative endeavor that is not only open to community involvement but in which community members’ participation is very much desired and needed. The project is the brainchild of a UM student, Rose Collins, and is supported by the University and the Cooperative Extension. A primary task will be documenting the history of Milo as we recover from our loss of the downtown block that burned. The next meeting will be held at the Penquis Valley High School Library on December 11, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. and it is our hope that attendance will be described as “bursting at the seams”.

Why would you bother ? Well, because everyone has a story and yours matters - it matters a lot. Many people have a story and/or are a story that enriches Milo’s history. Sharing and documenting these stories and events will leave a more complete and authentic history of our town. In the future when people come here seeking information about our past more than names and dates and vital statistics will be available with your help.

The books by Lloyd Treworgy and others have made a good beginning for the times they spanned. Our Three Rivers News and our website www.trcmaine.org continue to document original material sent to both. The University of Maine is willing to help also and the university’s resources will make available possibilities that are now more limited.

The Three Rivers News has become a well known link among local residents and the internet version is viewed by present and former residents as well as any number of people who are related to the community or have an interest in the community. TRC Maine has its roots in MSAD 41 classrooms and a special project years ago that was designed to put MSAD 41 member communities on the internet, link them together and link them to the world. There was educational benefit to participating students and teachers and the communities. And just as was hoped for all those years ago - we’re still here !!!

This collaborative effort between Milo and the University of Maine has some basic hopes for goals for the work :1) There will be the opportunity, especially for students but also for community members, to learn new skills and apply them to an up-and-going project. 2) In doing the project local capacity will be created and developed for future times when capturing the essence of Milo will be of benefit. 3) Education, community service and community building will be enhanced and strengthened as resources for the present and future.4) Additional content will be available for the local website, TRC Maine, where so many already look in on Milo.

In January grant proposals are due to tap a couple resources which could provide limited equipment to participating entities - something along the line of a few digital cameras for students to use for the project, programs for editing pictures or for enhancing audio recordings are being considered. Any item that can be made available will be an asset for the future as well as for the current project.

Many of us have memories of the fire, the pasts of the buildings, and our own unique feelings. Are you willing to share ? Anyone who wants to be any part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to document recent history regarding the downtown fire in Milo is invited to attend the next meeting. The strengths of Milo and our neighboring communities stopped the horrendous fire last September. There is benefit from knowing more about Milo’s recovery from the fire. One thing that comes to mind was a request from a firefighter to use pictures from the photo album in training for his department. Our documentation in pictures will help another community. Please come to the meeting tomorrow, Thursday, December 11 at the PVHS Library at 6:00 p.m. Hope to see you there !

NOTE - This article reflects the views of the author and not necessarily those of the TRC Alliance Team.